Puppet-valve.



J. H. DSCKINSON.

PUPPET VALVE APPUCATION FILED MAR. 31. ms RENEWED SEPT. I6. ms.

Patented Nov. 19, 1918.

nwgme M M ,0 lmw A fro/mm! J. H. DECKiNSON.

PUPPET VALVE. ED MAR. 31; 9H3. RENEWED SEPT-16,1918- 1,285,Q69a Patented Nov. 19, 1918.

, 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- APPUCATIQN m INVENTOR q Wag 117g A TTORNE Y a still larger UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J HUNTER DICKINSON, OI? LABCHMONT, ILTEVK/ YORK, ASSIGNOR TO AEOLIAN COMPANY, .5. OF." CONNECTICUT.

PUPPET-VALVE.

Application filed March 31-, 1916, Serial No. 38,042; Renewed September 16, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH HUNTER DICK- lNsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Larchmont, in ,theuoounty of Westchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Puppet-Valves, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

My present invention relates to an improved valve construction for pneumatically operatedautomatic musical instruments, ineluding player pianos, etc. The features and advantages of my invention will be ap parent to those skilled in the art from an understanding of the following description in connection with the drawings.

In the latter, Figure 1 isa vertical section and sideelevation of parts-of a pneumatic piano player embodying my valve construc tion; Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail of said valve construction; Fig. 3 is a face view on scale of oneof the valve-seat plates; Fig. 4: is an edge View of said plate; Fig. 5 isa perspective ,viewof the plate; and Fig. 6 is avertical sectionpartly in elevation diagonally through ,the two valveseats that is, namely, on a line corresponding to 66 in Fig. 8.

Describing now the specific devices of the drawings,-1 isthe tracker. and music-roll box of the instrument, 2.the tracker-b0ard,3 oneof the tracker-tubes, 1 is the valve-board showing the particular pouch 5 to which the tracker tube 3 leads, 6 isthe usual cylindrical puppet-ralve operated by said pouch. 7 is the striker-pneumatic and 8 the passage controlledby said valve wherebythe strikerpneumatic is connected either with the exhaust in chamber 9 through the lower valveseat 10 or withthe atmosphere through the upper valve-seat lldepending upon the position ofr the valve 6 as operated by the pouch 5 from the passage of the perforated musicsheet over the tracker-bar, all as well understood in the art. 12 is an endwise reciprocating part pivoted at 13 to the movable board of .the striker pneumatic and guided by a hole in the stationary part 14 to act as shown on the wippen 15 to actuate the hammer 1,6 inw lllmo n ma n r- Specifieati on of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 19, 1918.

Serial No. 254,670.

My present improvement resides specifically in the upper and lower valve-seats l0 and 11 which may be identical in construction so that the description of one suflices for both. Each preferably is struck up from a plate of sheet metal and has the form best shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. Instead of the usual circular opening through the valve-seat, I shape it like a Greek-cross or otherwise give it such other shape, as for example with entrant angles, that the periphery of the opening willbe increased and its area reduced. The reduced area means that the suction in chamber 9 does not actso stronglyon the valve 6 to hold it on its seat 10 with the result that a relatively small pouch 5 will lift it or its seat. This in turn means that even a small perforation in the music sheet quickly passing or'er the tracker will let in enough air to lift the pouch and valve to operate the striker-pneumatic. Further that rapidly repeated notes as in a trill will be properly reproduced. The elongated periphery of eachvalve-seat opening also functions tothe same advantageous end because it gives just that much more gate-way for the suction and atmosphere respectively to pass. In short I am enabled to control a large wind-way from a small primary pouch without any secondary and thereby obtain a very quick responsive control of the strikerpneumatics from the note sheet.

Further, so that the atmosphere and suction will have as free access as possible to the active faces of the valve and seat, and t0 the opening in the latter, I locate said opening in the top of a raised portion 18 of the seat and in addition prefer to surround said opening with a narrow raised rim 19. In this way, the atmosphere or suction as the case mav be, is right at the very rim of the valve-seat opening ready to act in full force through it the instant the valve is moved even a slight distance off its seat. To the same end, the portions 20 of .the valve seat plate are depressed to give just as free'access of the air to the entrant corners of the opening as to the ends of the slots.

Each plate has holes 21 by which it is secured in position by screws 22. 23 is a narrow strip secured by two of said screws 22 diametrically across each plate. A central hole in each receives and guides one end of the stem of the valve.

Vhat I claim is 1. A valve seat for the puppet valve of a pneumatically operated musical instrument, having its opening formed with entrant angles which give it a relatively large periphery and small area, thereby to increase the gate-way for the rapid communication of the pneumatic tension when the valve is open and to reduce theaction of said ten sion on the valve when closed.

2. A valve seat for the puppet valve of a pneumatieally-operated musical instrument, having a many-sided opening giving it a relatively large periphery and small area, thereby to increase the gate-way for the rapid communication of the pneumatic tension when the valve is open and to reduce the action of said tension'on the valve when closed.

3. A valve seat for the puppet valve of a pneumatically-operated musical instrument, having its opening serrated, which gives it a relatively large periphery and small area, thereby to increase the gate-way for the rapid communication of the pneumatic tensionwhen the valve is open and to reduce the action of said tension on the valve when closed.

i. A puppet valve seat whose opening comprises a plurality of crossed slots.

5. A valve seat forthe puppet valve of a pneumatically-operated musical instrument, the opening in said seat controlled by the valve comprising a slot which gives it a relatively large periphery and small area, thereby to increase rapid communication of the pneumatic tension when the valve is open and to reduce the action of said tension on the valve when closed.

6. A valve seat for the puppet valve 01 a pnelnnatically-operated musical instrument, the opening in said seat controlled by the valve having an increased periphery and a reduced area compared to the periphery and area of a circle circumscribed about said opening, thereby to increase the gate-way for the rapid communication of the pneumatic tension when the valve is open and to reduce the action of said tension on the valve when closed.

7. A valve seat for the puppet valve of a pneumatically-operated musical instrument,

' the opening in said seat controlled by the valve having a longer periphery and a reduced area compared to the areaofa circle circumscribed about said opening, thereby to reduce the action of the pneumatic tension on the valve.

the gate-way for the- 8. A valve seat for the puppet valve of a pneumatically-operated musical instrument, the opening in said seat controlled by the valve having a longer periphery than that of a circle circumscribed about said opening, thereby to increase the gate-way tor the rapid communication of the pneumatic tension when the valve is open.

' 9. A puppet-valve and its seat, the latter having an opening comprising a plurality of crossed slots, said opening having a narrow raised rim to coact with the valve.

10. A valve seat for the puppet valve of a pneumatically-operated musical instrument, the opening in said seat having an increased periphery and a reduced area compared to the periphery and area of a circle circumscribed about said opening, thereby to increase the gate-way for the rapid communication of the pneumatic tension when the valve is open and to reduce the action of said tension on the valve when closed; said opening having a narrow raised rim for co-action with said valve, so as to permit the pneumatic tension to act immediately at said 11. A valve seat for the puppet valve of a pneumatically-operated musical instrument, the opening in said seat having a long periphery and a reduced area compared to the area of a circle circumscribed about said opening, thereby to reduce the pneumatic tension exerted through said opening upon the valve; said opening having a narrow raised rim for co-action with said valve, so as to permit the pneumatic tension to act immediately at said rim.

12. A valve seat for the puppet valve of a pneumatically-operated musical instrument, the opening in said seat having a longer periphery than that of a circle circumscribed about said opening, thereby to increase the gate-way for the rapid communication of the pneumatic tension when the valve is open, said opening having a narrow raised rim for co-action withsaid valve, so as to permit the pneumatic tension to act immediately at said rim.

13. A puppet-valve and its seat, the latter having a narrow, elongated opening provided with a raised rim to coact with the valve.

14. A puppet-valve seat consisting of a plate having a raised portion whose top contains the valve opening which has a longer periphery than that of a circle circumscribed about it.

15. A puppet-valve seat consisting of a plate having a raised portion whose top contains the valve opening which has a longer periphery than that of a circle circumscribed about it, said opening being surrounded by a narrow raised rim.

16, puppetsvalve and its seat, the latter consisting of a plate having a raised portion Whose top contains the valve opening consisting of aplurality of crossed slots.

17. A puppet-valve and its seat, the latter consisting of a plate having a raised portion Whose top contains the valve opening consisting of a plurality of crossed slots, said opening having a narrow raised rim to coact With the valve.

In testimony whereof I have signed my 10 name to this specification this thirtieth day of March, 1916.

JOSEPH HUNTER DIOKIN SON Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

i Washington, D. 0." 

